A Transformers Christmas Carol
by Sparkling Lover
Summary: When a cruel and despicable miser by the name of Megatron Scrooge is visited by three ghosts, his perception of Christmas will be changed forever. My gift to all of Fanfiction for this fantastic year on Fanfiction. Cover image was done by me.
1. Chapter 1

**(I have been having this idea ever since November, and I just knew that I would have to do this sooner or later. Well, after much work and after reading and remembering this beloved holiday story, I have made up my own version of Charles Dickens most famous tale...With Transformers staring in it. And I bet you all know who the role of the Bad guy turned Good guy is. If not, I'll show the cast below. *Note: These are all characters from the G1 series*  
**

_**Megatron as Megatron Scrooge**_

_**Optimus Prime as Optimus Cratchit**_

_**Starscream as Starscream Marley**_

_**Arcee as The Ghost of Christmas Past**_

_**Grimlock as The Ghost of Christmas Present**_

_**Unicron as The Ghost of Christmas Future**_

_**Sideswipe and Sunstreaker as The Members of the Cybertronian Institute of Welfare and Goodwill**_

_**Hot Rod as Megatron's Nephew**_

_**Moon Gem as Herself**_

_**Elita 1 as Optimus Cratchit's Wife**_

_**Achilles and Sapphire as themselves**_

_**Bumblebee as Tiny Bee**_

***One other Note: Just like with my other story for the holidays, Elitarella, all characters do not transform and only rely on horse and carriage for transport. The characters in this story are also not refereed as Autobots and Decepticons. And there will be snowy weather and it will all take place in the 1800's in human terms.)**

**All righty then, now that the cast is ready, just sit back, relax, have some christmas hot chocolate by your side, and listen to the holiday tale of A Transformers Christmas Carol. Disclaimer: I do not own A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens or the Transformer characters mentioned. All credit goes to their respective owners. The only characters I own are Moon Gem, Achilles and Sapphire.)  
**

* * *

**TYPE - Shouting**

_Type - Thought_

Type - Normal

**Type - Establishment**

* * *

**..::* A Transformers Christmas Carol*::..**

* * *

The skies above the world of Cybertron, a planet that was inhabited by living and thinking robotic organisms, were covered in a shoal of white and grey clouds, and small snowflakes came down in drifting drops. The snow from above blanketed the country sides and street of the planet, and the towns and cities were decorated in a winter wonderland.

All cybertronians were all out and about, for this weather wasn't only the first sign of winter, but it was the start of a holiday they all treasured. Christmas. A holiday in which all life put aside their differences and joined together in harmony, bringing gifts of love to loved ones and friends, to show kindness to the less fortunate, and to remember the night when their creator, Primus, came to life and brought peace to the world they lived on.

The night of Christmas Eve was a time of all cybertronians to get the last minute gifts, arrive on time for feasts and parties, a time of night that every bot was inside, close to the fire, warm and comfortable. All was merry and gay.

The least could be said for an empty street, leading to **Scrooge and Marley's Counting House**. Yet, despite the name, the 'Marley' in question was no longer online. Starscream Marley was dead, as dead as a rusted plate of Titanium. His certificate and burial were all attended by the only mourner.

A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner by the name of Megatron Scrooge. This cybertronian miser was tight, cruel, and despicable being, a tight-fisted hand at the iron plates, hard and sharp as a blade, and secretive and solitary as a chromed oyster. The winter cold froze his features and all who saw him saw nothing but a frozen stare in his crimson, red optics.

It had been 7,000 stellar cycles after Starscream Marley's death, yet his last initials were still vaguely seen on the rusted sign that hun above the door of the establishment. The inside of the building was almost as cold as Megatron's own spark; ice covered the outside windows, and even a tiny breath from anyone brave enough to enter could be seen in a puff of white smoke.

In one room of the building, a red and blue mech named Optimus Cratchit, sat on his stool by a desk, going over all the tax letters, mortgage letters, and payment letters that documented the financial keep for the very few customers that came to the counting house. His blue, gentle hands shook furiously, but not due to frustration but from the freezing and frost-bitten atmosphere of the building. The small, dim fire that was next to him was nearly a small speck of orange, yellow light, yet, he could not bare to sneak into his master's office and gather some coal in a small containment box, for he knew that Megatron Scrooge would lower his already low, and depleting salary.

As the employee that was near to kiss the lip plates of the frozen enchantress of winter, Megatron Scrooge sat in his office; a well kept and warm room that only reflected not only the cold half of his character, but also his spring and summer self; a boiling, and burning miser. A winter miser, or a spring miser, Megatron Scrooge was the most feared and disposed being of the planet. Not a spark or life force did he care for. All that he kept his cold and sinful attention was the clinking and jingling sound of coins, the smooth and partial leathery texture of bills. To him, these were the civilians that he saw from his fantasies that would show great respect like a king of a long forgotten era.

The door burst open, and a young, red and yellow cybertronian came inside, said his greetings to Optimus and came into the office. It was Hot Rod, Megatron Scrooge's nephew, and only relative. "A Merry Christmas to you, Uncle!" he greeted with a joyful and happy grin on his lip plates.

The miser only scoffed and sneered. "Christmas? Bah, Humbug!"

"Christmas a Humbug, Uncle? Oh, surely you do not mean that."

"I do, Nephew." Megatron huffed as he brought out a sheet of paper, meaning to write down the percentage of a payment that was due to a client that was long due over a month ago. "What right have you to be merry? You are poor enough." Megatron grumbled as he sprawled with his pen.

Hot Rod, being steadfast and not one of giving up a fight amongst his peers, went back at his uncle. "What right have you to be dismal, Uncle? You're rich enough."

"Humbug! I am rich, rich enough to see that Christmas is nothing more but a year where all people become fools of themselves, throwing all their expenses to a toast to a family, finding themselves another year older and not a penny richer." Megatron then arose from his desk and went over to his nephew, a sneer of disgust and severity upon his faceplate, and a look of stern firmness in his optics. "If I were to have my way, any fool who had a 'Merry Christmas" on his faceplate should be boiled in his or her own oil pudding, and be buried with a stake of crystalized holly in their spark."

Hot Rod felt a cold chill run up his spinal cables and the color of his faceplate was white as the snow from outside. "Uncle, please, I only came to ask of you to join me and my wife at our Christmas party tomorrow, in hope of changing your thoughts about the holiday." Hot Rod answered in hopes of changing the subject all together, but the miser was undeterred as he went back to his desk and sat down.

"Why did you even marry?" Megatron asked, his optics not fixed upon the young bot.

"Why? I married because I fell in love."

"Love? Bah, another thing more foolish than Christmas."

Hot Rod's audio receptors had taken in quite enough of the abuse his own uncle had spoken of the holiday. So, the youth inhaled the cool air, but as he exhaled the voice emitted seemed to hove been born from the flames of courage. When the nephew began to speak, Optimus had to look and see what this only relative had to say against his uncle.

"I always saw Christmas as a charitable, and honorable time of year. A time where all life open up the warmth of their sparks to strangers, both rich and poor, and see them as members of their own family. It is a time where all beings are given a second chance of life, a chance to see a bright new future. It is true that Christmas may have not put a piece of gold or silver into my pocket, but I believed that Christmas's spiritual hand has led me to the right path, and in doing so has done me good and will always do me good. Therefore, I will always treasure this holiday for all its worth, and I say to it, Primus Bless It!"

The bravery and virtue of the young bot had lifted the very spark of Optimus, and he had to stand up form his stool and applauded, his metal hands clapping like the chimes of dull cymbals.

"Enough!" Megatron yelled, and the cymbals of Optimus's hands ceased their tune and he sat back down. "Another sound from you, Cratchit, and you will be on the Unemployment Line." Megatron further warned the silent mech as the miser returned his red optics to the bright blue ones of his nephew. "You have wasted enough business time, Hot Rod. Leave me at once."

Hot Rod nodded, but as he went to the black door, he turned to utter one last word of defiance. "If you are wishing to remain dismal, you have every right. Yet, I will still wish you a Merry Christmas, so, Merry Christmas, Uncle Scrooge!"

**"Get Out!"** Scrooge roared, and the red and yellow youth closed the door behind him, and the miser watched as his only living relative walk off, bowing to all who came to him, wishing them a Merry Christmas. "Humbug. Never become a husband, Cratchit. Nothing more than another excuse to being a jester."

"But, I _am_ married, sir."

Megatron Scrooge only growled like a disturbed bionic-bear that was stirred from its hibernation as he went on with the rest of the documents he had. At least he could hope that no other fools would bother him at his establishment any longer.

A series of knocks on the door made the miser lift his head, and he ordered Optimus to open the door and see who was upon the door step. "Yes? May I help you, gentlebots?" Optimus asked, and the after replying that the proprietor was still around, Megatron Scrooge looked to see two mechs, one being yellow and the other being red, come into the office. The yellow mech was the first to announce himself to Megatron.

"Good Evening, sir. I am Sunstreaker, and this is my brother, Sideswipe. May we have the pleasure of addressing either Mr. Scrooge or Mr. Marley?"

Megatron looked over the mechs and sneered, his denta briefly seen as a snarl. "Starscream Marley has been offline for 7,000 stellar cycles; been offline for 7,000 stellar cycles this very night."

"Oh, well then, Mr. Scrooge, we are members of the Cybertronian Institute of Welfare and Goodwill. You see, at this very season, it is when our Institute as well as many others, to provide shelter and necessities for those who are in destitute, and are suffering at this very moment due to the weather and dwindling amount of fuel and warmth." said Sideswipe as he handed over a sheet of paper, listing the Institute's goal in terms of business as well as a written form for potential members of donators.

Megatron Scrooge read through the paper in his chromed, iron cladded head, each word and syllable filing him with disgust and annoyance. After he placed the form down on the table, he looked back at the two mechs and asked, "Are there no Prisons? Are there no Workhouses?"

Both brothers looked towards each other and returned their gaze to their supposed donator. "Yes, there are plenty of them, even though we wish they were not." answered Sideswipe, to which Megatron chuckled as he stood up and handed the paper back to them. "Uhh, how much would you like to put down, Mr. Scrooge?"

"Nothing."

"You wish to remain anonymous?"

"I wish to be left alone." the tyrant miser snarled as the twins backed away from his growing, invisible dome of tolerance. "I do not make merry at this time of holiday, and I do not plan on this holiday to waste all of my profits to make idle cybertronians merry. All my taxes pay for the Workhouses and Prisons, and those who are badly off should go to either one!" Sunstreaker tried to convince the white fortress with ruby optics, that those who are poor would rather go offline than to go to either the Prison or Workhouse. Megatron Scrooge's fortress caved in like the walls of Earth's Jericho, and he roared in volume to rival that of a lion. **"IF THEY ARE TO GO OFFLINE, THEN THEY BETTER DO SO, AND DECREASE THE SURPLUS POPULATION!"**

All sounds of either breath of creaks of the ancient building seemed to halt in the passing of time. Only the echoes of the miser rang in both Sideswipe's, Sunstreaker's, and Optimus's audio receptors. If nothing could convince the charitable mechs that this robot of a devil was not in any interest of their goal, that spark-stopping statement of allowing the poor to die was all it took.

Sideswipe coughed and he aloneg with his brother, left to the door. "I guess there is little we can do here. Good Evening, Mr. Scrooge."

"What a beast." muttered Sunstreaker, and his yellow brother nodded in agreement. Optimus Cratchit felt even more cold, but this cold feeling was not of hatred as most others related the feeling to, but rather of hurt and sadness. Optimus Cratchit, as well as his family, were very poor. And as he watched his master return to his desk to growl and grumble, Optimus Cratchit sighed and looked back at his set of documents and heard his own thoughts form inside.

_If only something can change him. I know that there is goodness in all life, and I am sure there is some inside of Mr. Scrooge. He must have a kindling flame of that generosity he must have had before I knew him. If only he could find it._

* * *

The strong and throbbing voice of the clock tower rang at the signal of the arrival of 10:00 p.m. All work employee's were all leaving their companies and establishments to begin the quick and speedy voyage to their homes, and be on time for the Christmas festivities which they have been waiting since the very morning they had risen from their berths.

Optimus Cratchet was eager to leave his desk and take his coat from the rack in the hall and to open the door, and leap into the outside world. Yet, his eagerness also came with a nervous apprehension. Mr. Scrooge was never keen on those who were eager to take a day off to spend the day in holiday cheer, so he waited until he heard the miser push his chair back against the desk he occupied and stepped out to retrieve his cane and coat. "I suppose you would want the rest of tomorrow off, Mr. Cratchit?" Megatron asked.

"If it is convenient, Mr. Scrooge." Optimus began, but his masters voice interrupted.

"Convenient? More like Inconvenience. 'Tis nothing more than an excuse pick at my pocket every December 25th. But, I suppose you will need to take the whole day anyway. You may take the day off tomorrow..." Optimus was almost close to make his exit through the door when his masters cane took up the rest of the space between the wall and the miser. "...But, I expect you to arrive early for work the day after, and if you are late, you will be fired."

"Y-yes sir." Optimus nodded as he waited for Megatron Scrooge to place his coat on him and followed him through the black door.

As he watched Megatron Scrooge, the white plague of cruel bitterness make his way to his home, Optimus Cratchit made his way as well, but his plague was none of the sort. He felt more like a ship sailing upon calm seas as he walked throughout the lit, snow covered streets, smiling with joy and cheer. He would say his greetings to any who passed by him and would chuckle at the sight of younglings having their last minute snowball fight, even joined in a few under their consent, and would bow his head upon each statue of the god, Primus. Indeed, Optimus felt more free to show his acts of love and joy to all strangers, for he saw them as members of his own lineage.

As he came to a street lamp, he looked once more up into the sky, seeing a small open patch with a bright, shinning star, Optimus Cratchit once more heard his thoughts. _Primus, I pray that you can show Megatron Scrooge the true meaning of this holiday. Please, help him see what I see. Help him feel the way I feel. _

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***Authors Note*  
(How was the first stave, or chapter as Charles Dickens would put it? I am at work on the second part and will post it soon for everyone's pleasure. Feel free to comment. Sparkling Lover out.)**


	2. Chapter 2

**(Here we are on the next chapter. The Spirit of a certain somebody is about tot make his appearance.)**

* * *

As the bellows of the clock tower called upon the hour of 11:00 p.m, the cool and frosty air mingled with the fog in a dance, moving in tune to the wind's elusive tango. The dance blanketed all the vacant streets and alleyways of the city, as Megatron Scrooge made his way down the partially lit sidewalk. Thankfully to his own self, he had no encounter from any citizen, mech, femme, youngling or sparkling. None except for one feral cyber cat who hissed in fear as it crossed paths with the old miser, but Megatron had the upper servo as he used his stiff cane to slap at the sidewalk to create a warning cracking sound to frighten the animal.

After making his way underneath a bridge, which was occupied by only the small robotic rats that lived amongst the barred opening of the sewers, Megatron Scrooge soon came upon the entrance to his homestead; not the glamorous and stately mansions of all who had been in the financial work, but it was as cold and dingy as the occupant himself. All the windows were closed and the sound of the silent air roamed from inside.

As Megatron Scrooge came to the door, he went to his pocket of his coat to get to the keys, when he looked up and suddenly drew back. The knocker of the door, which was in the style of a growling lion, was suddenly changed to the that of a Cybertronian's head and face, the mouth holding the large ring , the face was very familiar to the miser as his frightened optics stared upon the knocker. "Starscream Marley?" His hand, quivering and shaking like that of an elderly Cybertronian, reached to the knocker and was almost close to grasping the ring, when the eyes of the face sprang to life. The inner glow was bright and empty, like the inside of a vase; white in surface but blank and silent.

Megatron Scrooge uttered a shout as his legs went backwards, but the upper half of his body was all but frozen, and he stumbled down the stairs and landed with a hard thud. After the pain from beneath him subsided, Scrooge slowly arose from the snowy ground, he hesitantly looked back to the face of his deceased associate, but saw that the lion head had returned to its rightful place. "Bah! Humbug!" he breathed out as he soon came back to the door and went into his dark, dreary and desolate solitude of a home. He blamed the hallucination as a reminder of the mention of his partner from today; he had never spoken word of Starscream Marley in 7,000 stellar cycles, and the sudden mention may have brought the vision of the head of his partner that moment before.

As he came to the staircase that led to the bedroom, Megatron became apprehensive. That face on the knocker had brought a feeling of insecurity; a feeling that he had never felt in all his time from being online. He lit himself a candle and made the slow, cautious walk upon the stairs, cob webs from spiders blanketing parts of the aisle, and a groan came from each step as the miser's foot came upon its surface. The miser looked from each angle his optics could allow, believing that the head of Starscream might be right beside him. Even the sound of the winds howling wails startled Megatron Scrooge; its call like the wails of a demented siren from the sea.

Megatron Scrooge's fear was then covered by a relief as his black, iron fist closed upon the knob of the door, leading him to his room. After locking the door tight, he made a quick check upon his resting area to make sure that he was the only living spark in it, his and his alone. Nothing, not even a micro mouse was seen. Just he, and the painting of his past partner, hanging above the unlit fireplace.

* * *

Megatorn Scrooge was now in his nightgown, sitting upon his chair and eating his energon grool, as his optics watched the fire from the fireplace. The flames seemed to sway from side to side like a writhing snake, or more appropriately a pit full of writhing, exotic snakes; each bend and snap was dulling the misers senses. All of the events that had happened from the day were erased as Megatron Scrooge was hypnotized by the warm, flowing flames.

Just as his optics were about to close up to rest, he noticed that the large pit of fire was suddenly and quickly dimming and decreasing size, until it was put out by an invisible force. All the room was now left in a cavern of darkness. All of the sounds that Megatron Scrooge was used to while she lived in the house was now silent; no creaks, no squeaks. The sound of the clocks had all but stopped, none of their hands moved in time with the time. Even the howls of the wind from the outside world was put in a standstill. Scrooge now felt that all of the area his home stood upon was now frozen in time.

A loud and abrupt clank was heard from below, and Megatron Scrooge uttered a small yelp and turned to the door, keeping himself in his chair as he listened to this unfamiliar and foreign sound came up the steps. The sound of the clanks was joined with a jingling noise, and the symphony of the clanks and jingles became louder and louder as they came to the last step, and then, a sound of a heavy burden being dragged across the floor came to the misers audio receptors.

As suddenly as they began, all of the sounds of the unknown ceased, leaving Megatron Scrooge sitting in fear upon his chair as he waited for the noises to return to their symphony of terror.

A large, green, and translucent safe flew through the door and landed just a few inches away from the miser, and Megatron Scrooge screamed in pure horror and shock, his terror seizing his grip on the chair and he fell onto the solid floor below. He watched as more safes flew into the room; each one being tied to long, rusted, cold chains, and Megatron Scrooge soon noticed that at the end, someone, or something was pulling at them as if to pull the marionette of the chains and safes inside.

A translucent, ominous, and faded figure of a Cybertronian mech floated inside, it's hands holding to the chains anchored to the floor. Megatron Scrooge got up with great difficulty, almost close to falling over once more from fear, and he saw that this figure resembled a spark of someone that he used to know, but was uncertain.

"W-W-W-Who are you?" he gasped.

The figure lifted it's bandaged head, it's optics glowing a bright white and yellow aura, and it spoke in a voice that seemed to resonate from a rotting carcass. "Ask me who I was."

Megatron Scrooge swallowed as he answered back to the specter. "Who were you, then?"

"When I was online, I was your partner; Starscream Marley." the specter replied. It was Starscream Marley, with his face, his worn-out waist coat, and his winged appendages stood out like an iron weather cockerel's arrow; pointing to both the east and west. Marely's wrists, ankle joints, and his abdominal plate, were tightly clasped in the handcuffs that connected to each of the chains bounded to the safes, and there were no keyholes in either of the handcuffs as Scrooge observed.

Even as he observed the floating phantom of his long lost partner for a few minutes more, Megatron Scrooge was incredulous about this being an actual presence of the supernatural. "How now," Megatron Scrooge spoke as coldly as he ever did in his lonely, elder life. "...what do you want with me, Starscream?"

"Much, Scrooge. Very much."

"Can you sit down, Spirit?" the miser asked, and Starscream Marley replied that he could. "Do it then." Megatron asked this question because he did not know if a ghost, in its transparent state, could be capable of sitting down upon a solid surface. He watched as the ghost sat upon the opposite side of the fireplace, and it observed the old miser with an intense look in his glowing, empty optics.

"You do not believe that I am right before you, do you, Scrooge?" Starscream Marley said. Megatron Scrooge replied that he did not believe in the specter, to which the specter replied. "Why do you doubt your own optics, your own audio receptors? Why doubt all of your senses in my presence?"

"I have many reasons to doubt them." Megatron Scrooge answered. "There are many things hat can cause any fellow Cybertronian, such as myself, to hallucinate and see images of many things in their time. And most of these hallucinations are partially done by an empty tank. You could be nothing more than an unprocessed energon cube that has been left to boil in the heat of the day, a pint of oil that has been expired for many days without notice, or even the very substance of a coolant gravy can be contaminated by foreign particles from some unknown world. There is more of gravy than a grave about you." Megatron Scrooge was never the kind of being who was known to make jokes or make the attempt of cracking one, but he did this only once in hopes of keeping his inner fear well kept inside his metal husk.

The specter, to Megatron Scrooge's utter shock, rose up from the chair and wailed in great anger and disgust. The optics from the face plates of the phantom mech seemed to burn profusely in great concentration and intensity as Starscream Marley flew to the miser, his translucent nose plate close to phasing into the nose plate of Megatron Scrooge. The chains began to shake and jingle furiously as the ghost blared; his voice now in a much frightful tone, and to what Scrooge could describe, joined by an inner shrieking component in an echo. **"Mech of doubt! Spark of ignorance! Voice of treachery! Dost thou believe me or not?!"**

Megatron Scrooge felt the balance of his seat tip backwards and his back plate felt the harsh impact, as if the very voice of the phantom was the cause of the fall. Megatron, however, was in much more fear of the ghost then of the chairs improper holding, and shook in terror as Starscream Marley floated over him; his optics now two, white vortexes of flame. "Yes, I do believe! I must believe! I do believe in you, Starscream. But, why are you here?"

The phantom, seeing that his words had gotten through the impenetrable barricade of the white mech quivering below him, calmed his tone and the flames of his optics returned to their soft, white glow. "It is needed for every Cybertronian, that the sparks and life-force within themselves, should walk amongst their fellow brothers and sisters. But, if that life-force and spark fail to do so, they are condemned to walk amongst their brothers and sister, only to be trapped between the gates of the world which Primus reigns and the pit of which all the evil lurk below the surface of this planet itself. They are all doomed to be forever ignored and never to be given forgiveness by their living peers." Starscream Marley returned his answer to Megatron Scrooge, and he then placed his hands on his head and moaned in pain. "Oh, woe! Woe to them all! They can now only watch lives pass through them. They are to never share their condolences, nor are they given the chance to mend their ways from their past life. Never are they to return their new found kindness to the living that they had failed to do so when online. Woe! Woe to them!"

The chains began to rattle once again, but in a softer, more saddened motion; like the chains that would hold up a sign of a shop in the gentle breeze of the wind. "These chains. Why are they strapped to you, Starscream?" Megatron asked.

Starscream looked and took hold of the chain that held his abdominal plate into his hand and suddenly wailed and shrieked in pain. The handcuffs that clamped to each joint of his body began to tighten and burn. "Aaahh! The chains! These are the chains of which I have forged in life. I made them link by link, and yard by yard. They were made by my decisions I have made when I functioned. And now, thanks to my careless and ignorance to understand the consequences, I am bound to them forever, and left to wander the planet. I can never rest, I can never linger anywhere anymore. Oh, woe is me!"

"But, Starscream, you were such a good mech of business." Megatron spoke, but he should have kept his own glossa held inside his mouth.

Starscream Marley rose up once again, the wild, feral flames of his optics returned, and the echoed, multi-toned voice came back.** "BUSINESS?! BUSINESS?!"** The chains from the floor suddenly broke away from their grips on the safes, and began to coil around the miser and lifted the terror stricken mech in a tight and death-gripping hold, as the phantom screamed in tones equal to that of a wild roar of a dragon. **"CYBERTRONIAN KIND WAS MY BUSINESS! THE COMMON WELFARE WAS MY BUSINESS! SWINDLING EVERY PIECE OF CHANGE AND HOARDING IT WITHIN THE ROOM OF OUR COUNTING HOUSE WAS MY BUSINESS! THE TRADES OF WHAT I HAVE MADE ARE NOTHING BUT A DROP OF MY OWN BLOOD WERE ALL MY BUSINESS!"**

He waited and huffed his undead breath as he watched his friend cringe in fear as well as turn away; his own red, scarlet optics seeming to melt in apprehension upon the specters optics. Then, the chains loosened their grip upon Megatron Scrooge and he fell to the floor, and as he got back up he watched as Starscream Marley come back to him, but with his demeanor calm once again. "Upon this time, old friend, I surfer the most. For it is a reminder of what my actions have caused me, why that my optics always turned down upon a stranger, and why the light of the many stars above me ceased to bring my attention to what I could have done to mend myself." He then looked upon Megatron Scrooge and said in a low voice. "I have been with you, Scrooge, in my invisible state before this form tonight. I already see that the chains of your actions are beginning to become much greater in weight and thickness as mine."

This one statement made Megaton quiver and wipe the perspiration from his brow plates and he went over to the ghost. "Please, Starscream. There has to be another way for me to unbind these chains of mine. I may not see them, but after seeing and hearing your despair, I believe in you. Please, give me advice of which I can save myself."

"My time here has come short, for I have stayed for too long, Megatron Scrooge. I have come to this chamber of silent discomfort, to warn you about the events that will occur on this night. You still have yet a chance to escape my fate." Starscream Marely answered the pleading mech before him. "Tonight, you shall be haunted by three Spirits; The Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Future."

"Three Spirits?"

The phantom then, before Megatron Scrooge's gaze, began to slowly fade away into the clear air, and the sounds of both the house and the outside were close to being returned to their state. Starscream Marley, however, still spoke his final words to the miser. "Expect the first to appear when the bell tolls 12. Expected the second to follow suit, and the third when the last star upon the heavens is clouded in the mist of judgement. Take their words to spark, Megatron. It will be a great tragic, mortifying decision not to pay heed to each of the Ghosts." Starscream Marely then added, as his whole form disappeared except for the glow of his optics. "Mend thy ways."

With that, the two orbs of light were shut from the room, and once more the darkness returned to the atmosphere of Megatron's room. The clocks began to utter their clinking language, the thin and whispery whines of the winds from outside resumed their serenade of the night. And Megatron Scrooge was left in the room of his home, left to think of what had befallen before him, and what else was to happen. He was in great indecisive thought of whether all of this was nothing more than a slight hallucination, or an actual encounter of what could be his last moment to repent. He could not decide of the right choice, but, it would be much more than a choice for Megatron Scrooge as the night would begin its long, periodic trek to the number of the hour of midnight.

* * *

***Authors Note***  
**(It seems that Starscream Marely has certainly made this night much more of an upcoming goal for Megatron Scrooge to somehow achieve. Will Megatron decide to believe what he had recently doubted? Well, we shall see when the clock strikes midnight in the next chapter. Sparkling Lover out.)**


	3. Chapter 3

**(The Ghost of Christmas Past is about to arrive. Let us return to Megatron Scrooge and see what will happen in the chapter. Also, we shall see some OC's of mine I have made just for this chapter; Aurora and Moon Gem.)**

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It was the witching hour of the hour of darkness, and Megatron Scrooge had succumbed to the spell of slumber and wen tot his bed and pulled in the curtains that surrounded it, keeping all traces of light form the luminous moon from outside, and to lessen the risk of meeting with any spirit as Starscream Marley had warned him about. There was little noise about the room and home, and the muffled howls of the wind outside were enough to lull the miser into an instant slumber.

After two hours had past, the clock tower form beyond the homestead, and the grandfather clock form inside the room began to chime the arrival of midnight, and Megatron Scrooge awoke in an instant. HIs sight was still blurred by his slumber, and he could hardly make out all that was inside; from the window to the opaque walls and furniture. His audio receptors listened to the chimes of the clock; both inside and far, and counted the number of times the bells stuck to be sure that it was midnight. It went from 7, to 10, and finally to 12. But, as soon as the chimes hit the number of decision, the grandfather clock suddenly stopped its motion; not a gear was heard clinking, nor did the hands upon the face twitch.

Megatron Scrooge waited, apprehensive and half prepared for what ever was to come. His hands griped the edges of his heavy cover, his head moved about to look upon the room, and his optics blinked furiously so as to sharpen the focus of each lens.

Nothing. No translucent light, no sounds of chains, and no painful cries. "Humbug!" Megatron Scrooge huffed as he laid himself once more upon the bed, settling his head upon the satin pillow.

A femmine chuckle was suddenly heard from beyond the shadows, and the miser sprang up. "Who is there?" he called out, but there was no one to be seen or answered. Again, the chuckles came back, but they sounded as if the laughter was being moved about form each part of the room; from the fireplace, to the window, to the door, and even up upon the ceiling. The white mech was almost close to believing that he had slipped into madness, and was about shut himself away from the whole atmosphere entirely, when all the curtains from the bede flung open, and at the foot of the bed a bright and cheerful figure appeared.

What appeared to be a very cheerful, beautiful, pink and white femme with blue, bright optics, wearing a long, flowing dress that was decorated with diamonds and jewels along the neck line and skirt, stood before the foot of the bed with a lovely grin upon her face plate, her smile looking so much like that of an infant sparklings first smile. She too, like the ghost of Starscream Marley, was glowing with a bright aura, but it was much softer and much more friendly in a way as Megatron Scrooge observed her. She looked almost resembled the image of a well-fashioned doll, fit for any youngling femme.

"Who are you?" spoke Megatron Scrooge, to which the spirit giggled in a sweet tone, a tone that was sweet as Earth's honey.

"I am the Ghost of Christmas Past, Scrooge." she answered.

"Of Long past?" Megatron Scrooge inquired.

The spirit shook her head and giggled again. "Your past, Scrooge."

Megatron Scrooge found the child-like personality of the ghost to be quite unbearable to hear, and he growled. "As much as I am grateful to know that the visit from my pertness was a reality, I am much more in need of my rest. So, leave me."

"If all Cybertronain life was to be measured by their kindness and pure sparks, you, Scrooge, would be no larger than a micro speck." the Ghost of Christmas Past countered, and floated over to his side as he turned around to look away. "I am here for your welfare, Scrooge. So, take heed and come follow me." She then offered her hand to him.

"What is the use of joining you on this journey into the past, Spirit? I have no desire to be next to one so unnaturally cheerful and spry as you." the miser sneered, but then he felt his hand being clasped by the ghosts hand. It felt warm and gentle, like the grasp of an embrace.

"There is much to be seen and remembered, Scrooge. With a touch of my hand, you shall be immortal, such as me. You will fly away." As she said this, Megatron Scrooge was suddenly pulled upwards, up, and up, and up, and up, unit lye saw the foundations of the roof and Megatron Scrooge shield his optics with his free hand, in fear that they were to smash through.

A tingle was felt shivering from the top of his head to the soles of his metal feet, and Megatron Scrooge looked in astonishment as he found himself above the dreary house he lived in, far above the city in itself. All around he could see the spires of all the churches, the domed roofs of bank houses, and the glimmer of the snow-covered roofs of many homes, penetrating the clouds upon which he and the Ghost of Christmas Past hovered over.

"Come, Scrooge." she cooed and gently led him through the vast, clouded sky, at the speed of a graceful swan or a mighty eagle, and Megatron Scrooge was gasping and yelping as they did so, hollering at the spirit when ever they almost impacted a roof top or a chimney, but the spirit only giggled and laughed cheerfully. All the buildings, structures seemed to pass below them as the spirit picked up speed in the flight, until from the horizon a bright, glowing sphere appeared.

"We are almost to your past, Scrooge. Hold on to me." the Ghost of Christmas Past smiled and the normally cynical, quiet mech, screamed in fear as the light grew brighter and almost destroyed his sense of sight as the penetrated it.

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The light form the sphere had begun to diminish, and from below Megatron Scrooge looked down upon the surface, and saw that it was vastly different than the town from which he had lived in his adult life. This town of question was nothing resembling any town, but a small village.

"Why, I know this place." Megatron Scrooge sputtered his first words after leaving the present. He suddenly then felt the hand clasping him let go, and he then fell down upon the ground, but he landed softly onto the snow-covered surface. "Ack! Why did she have to do that?" the miser groaned and barked as he shook and dusted himself clean form the cold bits of frozen particles form his nightgown. The spirit then returned to him and smiled in great vigor.

"You remember this place, you said?"

"Yes, I do."

Megatron Scrooge rose form the ground and gazed upon the scenery around him and his guide. All around was a snow-covered countryside; the glimmering, silver trees toped with a winter coating, streams frozen in their endless quest to the mouth of a river, and from a distance the sounds of laughter and shouting echoed from over a hill. Form the hill, MEgatron Scrooge saw youngnling mechs charging down the hill on horseback, hollering and whooping with youthful spirit and freedom as their heel joints kicked at the sides of their steeds. The miser soon felt a great warmth seize his own spark, a warmth that he hadn't felt in such a long time.

"I was a child here. This is where I was raised." he smiled, although he was never keen on smiling, but this moment brought it back. All of the scents, the sights, and the noises all around brought back all of the dreams, thoughts, and fantastical goals he had once had as a youth.

As all of this was being taken in, he glanced back to the hill and saw that the younglings on horseback were charging down upon them like hunters after a Cybertronian fox. "Hoe! Hold your steeds, lads!" Megatron Scrooge called out to them, yet all was in vain as the party came upon them, and to the miser's astonishment the younlgings and stallions phased through him and the Ghost of Christmas Past. "I do not understand, Spirit. I shouted and they ignored my warning."

The spirit giggled in her usual child-like manner and smiled. "These are but shadows that have been, Scrooge. They have no conciseness of our presence. They cannot see nor hear us." She then turned her head to a building far off to the left in the distance and grasped Scrooge's hand. "Come, there is more to be seen."

Megatron Scrooge watched as she lifted herself, and himself, up above the ground, and soon held on as the femme glided through the countryside. Megatron Scrooge remembered every fence, street, lamp post, and every house as they glided past all of the unsuspecting Cybertronians that had once been alive; the adults he saw might already be dead back in his normal timeframe, but the younglings and sparklings he saw amongst them could be close to his own age.

Just then, the gay, lively streets of the Village disappeared, and Megatrno Scrooge found himself in a dark, and cold school room; a large board at the front of the room, and gathered about it in rows of four were severals desks and chairs. "There is one child I see here, Scrooge. Can you tell me if you recollect this younlging before us?" the Ghost of Christmas Past questioned, and she watched as the white, elderly miser walk slowly towards one desk at the left corner. A small, white younlging was sitting down and reading a book.

"Yes, I do recollect this child. I know him all too well. It is me." Megatron Scrooge felt a small tear drip down his scarlet optics. "Poor boy. Poor me. My father was very strict upon my education, and in doing so he had forced me to be locked away in this private institution. I truly mourn for that little child that had once been me. Poor boy."

The ghostly femme placed her hand upon the miser's head, stroking it in comfort and cooed. "Let us see this little mech in another Christmas." As she had spoken, the little child the Megatron Scrooge mourned for suddenly began to age. His innocent and pure face plate began to show a firm chin that Megatron Scrooge had, the brow was now well defined although not at the firmness and serious look, and the once bright and glittering optics of the youngling began to become a sharp red. this little mech was now a young adult, almost around twenty one in human years, if there ever was a human.

A door from the front end of the classroom opened, and a lively femme of bright silver and emerald dashed inside and wrapped her arms around the younger Megatron. The younger form of the miser gasped quickly but then chuckled happily at the sight of this little femme.

"My dear brother, I am here to take you back home." the little younlging said in glee as the younger Megatron Scrooge lifted her in his arms in a warm embrace.

"Home, little Aurora?" questioned the younger Scrooge with a smirk on his lip plate as he tickled his little sister's sides, smiling as she squirmed and giggled happily before he stopped and placed her back down.

"Yes! Home, Megatron!" Aurora beamed, her optics now glowing with excitement and exuberance. "I had missed your dearly, dear brother. I had been longing to ask father if you could return home for Christmas, and he said that you could! he sent me to fetch you, and you are to join me on our journey back to the homestead."

The elder Megatron watched with a faint loving smile as his younger self followed his little sister as they left the room. "My little Aurora. She truly was a ball of life itself, and I loved her so much." he spoke.

"And she was heavy with a sparkling in her adult life, was she not? And what of the child she had left from her passing in the process of bringing it into the world?" the Ghost of Christmas Past questioned to Megatron Scrooge, and he answered with a great sorrow, for he knew all too well about her fate and the fate of the sparkling.

"Yes, she had one child. Hot Rod. Her only offspring." He then felt a sense of regret. "I have been very cross to him the moment he came to the Counting House of mine. He tried his greatest to have me join him for a gathering with his wife, and yet, I refused."

"Come, Scrooge. We must continue." the spirit said, and as Scrooge listened to her voice it sounded as if her giddiness was slipping away, her grin now a slimming smile. She seemed to be loosing a partial amount of her eager, fun, and light-sparked essence when he had first encountered her.

The Ghost of Christmas Past took his hand and Megatron Scrooge watched as the classroom fade away, and in its foundations was a large open room of a warehouse. The windows from each side gave the glimpse of a dark evening, snow was falling from he outside. "You know of this establishment, Megatron Scrooge?" the spirit asked. The way she had addressed him greatly troubled Megatron, for she always addressed him by his last name. Even with this slight change of addressing him, Megatron could still see and that the femme still had a gentle tone of voice.

"Why, yes. I was an apprentice here. I worked under the teachings of my old master, Wrek Gar Fezziwig."

Just as he had mention his masters name, Megatron Scrooge suddenly heard a old, loud, and joyful bellow from the entrance, and a lively Cybertronian of orange and red armor, and wearing a fine waist coat and watch ran over to two mechs. The mechs in question were none other than Megatron Scrooge, and his associate, Shockwave. Shockwave had been a code friend to the miser back in the early years when Megatron worked for the elder bot, and had been a great help to him in times of stress and was always around for a laugh or a joke. "No more work tonight, my boys! It is time to freshen up, sweep up the floors, and have all the decorations up. It is Christmas Eve, boys! Tonight, we celebrate!" Wrek Gar Fezziwig was always well known for his festive parties, as well as for his jovial personality; in times he was seen as a bright and cheerful elf, always light on his feet and as spry as an wound-up toy.

"Ahh, Fezziwig. I couldn't have worked for a kinder, and cheerful mech. He was an understandable fellow." Megatron Scrooge had to smile as he watched his old master laughing and helping with his apprentices set up for the party ahead.

All the shutters were shut, decorations were set, and all the tables were set by the sides of the room, leaving a large room for were the guests would dance. All the warehouse was completely changed from the compacted, dirty, and dusty abode into a warm, glamorous, and festive ball room.

It wasn't that long before knocks sounded from the door, and Wrek Gar Fezziwig sprinted to the doors like a petra rabbit, and welcomed all of the guests inside with a cheerful grin and a warm, firm handshake. The first of the guests were a troop of musicians personally chosen to come and perform for the party, a group of green and purple armored mechs with an instrument of their own. They settled upon a loft and settled in quicker than a flicker of a candles fire, and they began to play lively and jolly tunes.

Megatron Scrooge himself was almost prompted to join with the rest of the guests as they danced in great ecstasy, but he managed to keep himself well composed. He decided to stand and watch with a joyous smile, laughing occasionally when he spotted his master dancing amongst the femmes. He truly was a mech after Megatron Scrooge's own spark; he was the father that Megatron Scrooge longed to have, for he was always helpful and cheerful every single day.

On and on, more dances came about, more food and drinks than anyone could ever count, especially in expenses as Megatron Scrooge pondered. But, his pondering was abruptly halted from its cycle as his optics caught sight of a enigma of great interest. Yet, to Scrooge, this was more than an enigma. This Cybertronian dressed in blue garments was a much greater value than any piece of gold or silver, as rare as an exotic flower, and as lovely as a mortal Goddess.

"Moon Gem."

"You know of this lady, Megatron Scrooge?" asked the ghost.

Megatron Scrooge hadn't answered as he watched as the femme in blue garment came forward to the younger form of himself. This femme was of luscious violet and crimson armor, with a fine look of exquisite beauty upon her face plate, and her lips were a bright, glimmering lilac. Her voice was almost the same as everything she was on the outside; fine, pure, and gorgeous. "Megatron? May I have the honor of being your partner in the next dance?"

It was a moment that Megatron Scrooge never forgot. It was a moment where all the worries of the planet and all the hardships were placed far behind him. It was a moment that was called, 'Love'. His first love, a love that seemed like it was fit for a romantic tale of passion and noble righteousness suck as the tales of noble warriors of the past ages of Cybertron. Megatron Scrooge watched as his younger self nod his head and grasped the delicate hand of the maiden, and immediately all the lively tunes of the musicians became a slow, romantic ballad. All the couples emerged and began the dance of lovers, where the mechs led their femmes to the slow, peaceful, and majestic ballad. And certainly no other couple performed the movement so well as Megatron and Moon Gem. They were in perfect unison as their feet glided upon the floor, their bodies in perfect flexion with the fluctuation of the ballad, and their optics never parted. They smiled and occasionally spoked, but they were mostly lost in each others optics. It truly was love at first sight, and it was proven right as the maiden snuck a kiss to the younger Megatron Scrooge.

Megatron Scrooge felt his spark flutter and beat slowly as he watched this moment of rapture, placing a black hand to his chest and sighed to himself. "Oh, Moon Gem. What a fair creature she was. I will never forget how much we were in love. She was a friend to Wrek Gar Fezziwig's family, and was a very generous maiden, and was compassionate to those she cared for."

"But, how long would her compassion last for you?" questioned the spirit as she grasped Megatron Scrooge's hand. The miser turned, in hopes that she would still retain her pleasant complexion, but was surprised by what he saw. The spirits youthful, playful, and gleeful features were gone. All that Megatron Scrooge saw upon that all traces of the once cheerful and youthful features were replaced by a pair of tear filled optics, and a forlorn frown upon her lips. "Come, there is one last vision to see before I leave you."

The joyous warehouse and all who occupied it we soon covered in a sheath, and taking its place was the Counting House that Scrooge now worked. The foundations were new and not yet in its decomposing and ancient state as it was back in present day. "Spirit, why have you brought me here?"

"Look yonder, Scrooge. You will see." the Ghost of Christmas Past answered, her optics shedding tears as she pointed to a room that Scrooge had occupied. There he was, his younger self, now showing signs of age, sitting upon his desk. Inside with him was Moon Gem, but her smile that Megatorn Scrooge had grown to love was now gone, replaced by a subtle thin line of worry.

Megatron Scrooge suddenly remembered what this moment was. "Oh no, Spirit. Please, take me away from this. I dare not wish to watch this again." he bagged the Ghost of Christmas Past, but she slowly shook her head.

"My time is growing short, and I have no power to bring us to another vision. This is the final one, and we have to stay, Megatron Scrooge."

Megatron was about to answer when he heard Moon Gem, his love interest of ancient times, speak. "I have noticed that you have found something of much greater importance than myself."

"What importance is that, Moon Gem?" the younger Megatron Scrooge answered.

"Money, Megatron." the femme said as she went over to him and held his sleeve, her optics were close to pouring tears just as the spirit.

"Moon Gem, this is only the pursuit of our wealth and well being. If I am to abandon all my financial work to keep us in that cottage of yours, we will be left in poverty."

"Did we not make our engagement as we were in close proximities of poverty, Megatron? We made it when you were partially low in funds, when you were promising to me that our future will be changed by the time you gained enough fortune to afford the ring which I wear now. However, once we have made the engagement you have changed. You are no longer the mech that I once knew. You used to be so loving, joyful."

The younger miser pulled his arm away from the femme and with a great force slammed it upon his desk and roared at her. **"I WAS A YOUNGLING! WOULD A YOUNGLING BE IN THIS ESTABLISHMENT? I AM MUCH WISER NOW, THAN THE YOUNGLING THAT HAD ONCE BEEN ME!"** The youth's impatient outburst struck at Megtron Scrooge like a dart. He was feeling a great regret over what his former self was saying.

The femme pulled away, her optics now leaking a small portion of tears as she then looked down upon her hand and removed the ring. She then looked at him once more and said to him this. "Your own feeling prove to me more that you have changed, Scrooge." She then placed the ring upon the desk before she returned,"I release you, Megatron Scrooge. I had hoped that you would never change, but I see that it is not in my power. Goodbye, Scrooge, and may you be happy in the life you have chosen."

"No! Say something, damn you!" Megatron Scrooge scoped his younger self as the love of his life left through the door and out into the streets outside, her sobbing clearly heard form the walls. "Please! Don't let her go!" His pleas were all in futile, for the younger miser took hold of the ring, sneering at it, and threw it into the fire place, watching as it melted away into a silver smear.

Megatron Scrooge began to sob of his foolish action and fell upon his knee's, slamming his fists against the floor. He yelled in pain as he heard the sobs from Moon Gem echoed in his head, his self control now melted away by his hot tears. "Spirit! Take me back to my home! Why do you delightfully torture me with these painful memories? Why?"

"You have fashioned these memories by your actions, not I. These have all happened due to your ignorance, Scrooge. Do not blame me." the Ghost of Christmas Past answered in sadness.

"Remove me from this memory then! Haunt me no longer! No more!" the miser cried in a broken voice so guilty and grief stricken. There was no other answer form the spirit, for she had passed on, the room of the Counting House dissipating back to the the dark quarters of his home, his tears of woe and regret lulling him into a mournful slumber.

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***Authors Note***  
**(Wow. To think that Megatron Scrooge had once a happy life, huh? But, thanks to his own actions, the love of his life is now gone. It is now the time for the next spirit to arrive, and pretty soon we shall see the one person that will change Megatron Scrooge's perception of Christmas and its meaning forever. Sparkling Lover out.)**


	4. Chapter 4

**(Now, we join Megatron Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present in this next part of Scrooge's journey of discovering the true meaning of the holidays. Also, the OC's Phoenix, Achilles, and Sapphire, belong to me. Also, please don't be angry if Grimlock *Who plays the role of the Ghost of Christmas Present* does not speak in his well-known cave man-like dialect.)**

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Awaking from his slumber, Megatorn Scrooge wiped at his optics, finding small dried streaks of his own tears on his cheek plates. He had recollected everything that the first ghost had shown and shook his head, his hand holding his fore head. "Why was I so foolish? I could have married Moon Gem. Why was I foolish?"

He sat himself up on his bed and looked about him. The curtains were undrawn, all was in its place, and there wasn't any sight of a specter in the room. He sighed and was close to laying his head upon his pillows, when his olfactory sensors picked up a very unfamiliar scent. He hadn't taken upon the idea of sniffing around his house, but he did recognize the familiar scents of the home. However, this scent was not that of the mold, or dust. This scent was of food.

He was out of the bed the instant and made his way to the door, when he noticed that a faint, yellow glow was seen from under the door. "Who has snuck into my abode and lighted all the candles?" Megatorn Scrooge mumbled as he slowly opened to the door, and gasped.

The staircase, and the extra bedroom on the other side were gone. He had soon found himself in an entirely new room. A large, glowing living room, with golden alabaster tables and chairs. the wall paper and floor was constructed of fine silver and porcelain, with various depiction of Cybertronian's in festive spirit singing, dancing, or kneeling on their knees in prayer to Primus. What had really gotten Megatron Scrooge's attention was all of the delectable foods and drinks that filled each corner of the room. Spiced sugar cakes, boiled Cybertronian swine, bowls of some of the finest energon beverages anyone could find, and benzene infused grapes and other delectable fruits. Large, bronze lanterns were hung above the room, the flames gold and white.

As the miser observed the room, a loud, booming voice rang about the room. "Come forth! Come forth, Scrooge, and know me better!" Megatron Scrooge followed the voice's origin, and saw a very large, mountainous mech in gold, grey, red and black armor, wearing a green robe bedazzled in red, blue, and yellow diamonds. A crystalized wreath was upon the specters head, worn like a crown, and in its hand it held a large glowing lantern in the shape of a horn, holding it up high as Megatron Scrooge came to him as he sat upon a heap of food. "Come forth, and know me better!" Megatron Scrooge was intimidated by the size of this spirit, but had to look upon him. "I am the Ghost of Christmas Present." it introduced. "Look upon me, Scrooge." he said in a cheerful bellow.

Megatron Scrooge did just that, and watched as the giant rose and came down to the miser. Megatron Scrooge was submissive and was hesitant as he spoke. "Conduct me where you wish. I have been led when the first spirit, and I have indeed learned a lesson from her visit. If you are to teach me, let me profit by it, Spirit."

The Ghost of Christmas Present extended the rope of the green robe and cooed. "Touch my robe, and we shall go forth." Megatron Scrooge held it fast, and watched as the spirit raised his lantern and waved it above them. Specs of golden dust and embers flew out about them, and all the room and its food and drink all vanished, and soon taking the empty space of the room came the town square. Megatron Scrooge noticed that instead of it being nighttime, the town square was alight by the morning sun, and all of the towns people were out and about, singing gyms and carols by the side walks, younglings playing in the snow, and the words, "Merry Christmas" could be heard form every greeting from all around.

"It's Christmas morning." Megatron Scrooge said as he looked all around him. The air was filled with cheer, which brought great jovial warmth to all of the towns people's sparks, despite the fact the gray clouds had swarmed above the city. He saw the poultry shop and saw a huge, tin-foiled turkey was well presented at the window, displaying its massive size. He saw a toy shop that was filled with many toys; from marionettes, stuffed animals, miniature war figures made of hardened plastic and rubber, dolls, and pretend weapons modeled after ancient weapons of the past. Many carts were lined up on the streets, selling their various contents; toasted iron nuts, fresh fruits, and trinkets.

Yet, as he watched all of this, he suddenly noticed one stately mech walking with his bag of food he had manage to buy on the last minute form a bakery, as he stopped at the entrance of an alley way, where a femme covered in bits of cloth and rags, holding an infant inner arms as it cried in discomfort. The stately mech looked upon her and to Megatron Scrooge's astonishment as he took of his own coat and draped it on the femme, and reached into his beg and offered her a loaf of bread and a cube of energon. "Spirit, why does he hand over his own belongings to that femme? He gave her food and drink, even though he has no idea who she is."

The Ghost of Christmas Present chuckled as he explained. "It is food from the spark, Scrooge. It is generosity fill one's thoughts of kindness, and that kindness cannot be kept to ones self. It must be given to all who are near, as well as to those who are in need of it. It is this generosity that you have long denied your fellow Cybertronains, Scrooge, but there are those who still find enough warmth in their sparks to show kindness, even for the likes of yourself."

"Who would think of being generous to me?" asked Megatron Scrooge.

"You shall see one of those begins soon, but come with me. We must be at a party at this moment." the spirit led the white miser over to a stately home along the suburbs of the city, bit Megatron Scrooge noticed that as they did the day had turned into evening, the sun setting amongst the hills from beyond. The Ghost of Christmas Present phased through the side of the building with the miser holding onto his hand. They came upon a well lit living room, where many guests had gathered about, all of them watching one mech that was standing in the middle.

"Why, it's Hot Rod." Megatorn Scrooge spoke, and watched as his only relative began to walk about from side to side, in a manner that looked as if he was partially limping, with a scowl upon his lip plates.

"Are you a horse?" asked one of the guests.

"In a way, yes." answered the nephew.

Megatron Scrooge listened at the many guesses called out. "A dog? A cat? A horse? A pig? An ass?" The last mention had gotten quite a few chuckles and giggles from the guests.

"That is one thing that I often question myself when I think about this animal of which I am pretending to be." Hot Rod said, but then turned as his wife, a gold and red femme named Phoenix, raised her hand. "Phoenix? You have an answer?"

"Yes, I do believe that I have. It's your Uncle Scrooge."

All of the guests began to laugh uproariously as Hot Rod declared the winner. "Yes, my wife. And to think that my Uncle would even think about joining us, right after the moment he called Christmas a 'Humbug'." The mech then cleared his throat and continued. "Yet, he is quite the comical mech, despite his unpleasant personality, and he has no idea that his offenses do go against him, and I cannot go against him for that."

"But, Hot Rod. I can't bare to tolerate that Uncle of yours. He hasn't established you to his wealth his he is to pass. What Uncle would do that to his only relative?" said Phoenix, and Hot Rod sighed.

"I cannot get cross with my Uncle even if I'd try. I bare no ill will against him. As I have said, his offenses do have consequences. And his offense for not joining with us today brings about the consequence of missing out moments that could do him some good rather than harm to himself. A consequence in becoming acquainted with new companions, be it the ones in that Counting House of his or in his dark, dismal fortress he calls home." He then grabbed a glass and held it up. "But, no matter how much he will deny, I will continue to give him a chance to join, whether he likes it or not."

As he watched all of the guests clap their hands in awe of their host, Megatron Scrooge felt something he never felt before. Compassion. To think his nephew had enough warmth in his spark even for the likes of his shred, greedy, before he could watch the party continue, the giant led the Scrooge out of the room, and back into the streets. It was now the middle of the night, the moon glowing high up in the clear skies. However, Megatron Scrooge saw that the house belonging to his nephew was no longer behind them, nor was the street it had been built alongside with. They had now appeared along a dark, lonely street, where no lamp post was about to bring source of light. A small home stood in front of the miser and ghost, its foundation old and partially withered by the weather.

Just then, the sounds of laughter came from the right side, and Megatron Scrooge saw two younglings race down the street to the home, opening the door and shutting it fast as they entered. "Come, Scrooge." the spirit beckoned the miser, and they went inside. The home from inside had two levels; the one where they stood upon, and the other was above them. The lower half was comprised of two rooms; a kitchen where the table stood with five chairs, and a small living room that was bare save a small sofa and old rug.

In the kitchen, a pink, rose colored femme was by the stove, preparing the dinner for herself and her family, while the two younglings sat by the sofa to rest. The first of them was a mech of 10 with reddish-orange, blue, and yellow armor. The second was a femme with blue and white armor, and was also at the age of 10. "Mama, we had been playing amongst the other children in a snow ball fight. I believe it tired us out." said the little femme.

"I see that it has, Sapphire." said the pink femme. This was Optimus Cratchet's wife, Elita 1. And the two younglings were their children, yet the other was missing. That missing child was with his father at the church, and the wife knew that they would be returning in a few minutes. "Darlings, put away your coats in the closet and freshen up for dinner. Your father and Tiny Bee will be here soon.

"Yes, Mother." said Achilles as he and his sister went to the closet and placed their ragged and hole covered coats into the closet, and went to the kitchen with their mother to wash their hands and faces. Megatron Scrooge looked upon them and noticed that they barely had enough necessities for the meal, and aside from the children's coats, the mother wore an old, half stained dress.

"Oh, I wonder what has gotten your Father. He would set foot inside the minute you two arrive at the basin." Elita 1 wondered aloud as she looked out the window, while at the same time keeping the spoon in the pot in her hand as she stirred the contents inside to a fine mixture.

"It must be the snow, mother. It is very cold out their. Even with my coat I still felt a chill." answered Achilles as he wiped his hands with a torn cloth. The sister also answered, believing that it might have been the wind and that it might have frozen their father and sibling, but Elita 1 smiled and shook her head with a friendly giggle.

"I find that hard to believe, my dear. Oh, here they are." she spook up as she saw the form of a mech, and a very small youngling sitting upon his shoulder, sauntered down the street, and from inside they three inhabitants and invisible observers heard them singing. "Achilles, will you and your sister set the table while I get your Father and brother?" the mother asked in a dainty smile.

"Of course, Mother." the son nodded and he and Sapphire grabbed four plates, bowls, cups, utensils, and began setting the table as the adult femme went to the door and opened it, allowing Optimus Cratchit and Tiny Bee to enter the home.

"A Merry Christmas, Elita!" beamed the mech with a smile as he reached over with one free arm; the other was keeping his son upon his shoulder, as he brought his pretty wife to him and they kissed.

"Merry Christmas, Mama!" exclaimed one of the most innocent voices that Megatron Scrooge had ever heard, and it came from the small yellow and black youngling upon his employee's shoulder. He noticed that this little mech held a crutch close to his side, and that his left foot and stabilizing servo were crooked. A cripple; a crippled youngling. But, the little mech did not seem to care, or even had the slightest notion that he had a crooked stabilizing servo in the first place. All that could be seen from that tiny yellow mech was an innocent and precious grin.

The wife smiled and kissed her youngest child and helped him down to the floor and helped him settle the crook underneath his left arm joint. "Why don't you go rest yourself, you have had a very long day, little one."

"Yes, Mama." gleamed Tiny Bee as he limped his way towards the sofa, and nearly tripped due to his excitement of the Christmas Dinner his mother was preparing, and Elita 1 went over to help him along. "Mama, I can make it. I know I can."

"Yes, Darling. I know that you can, but until then watch where your crutch is being placed. You don't want to harm yourself." Elita 1 cooed as she lifted him to the sofa and helped him lie down so he could rest. The little mech instantly fallen asleep as soon as his head softly planted itself upon the mattress.

Megatron Scrooge was seemingly very curious about the little youngling and was close to asking about the youngling when Optimus and Elita 1 went into the kitchen, the sounds of Sapphire and Achilles's happy cheers as they went to hug their father.

"Hello, my little ones, and a Merry Christmas. Oh, you set up the table for your own mother?"

"Yes, Father." answered Achilles, and his answered received him a friendly rub on his forehead from Optimsu Cratchit.

"That's my boy."

"So, how was church tonight, Optimus?" asked Elita as she returned to her station by the stove.

"Oh, it was wonderful, Elita. Tiny Bee was as good as gold and better." answered Optimus as he removed his coat and Sapphire gladly took it and hung it up for him as he went on. "You know, he always begins thinking about some of the most fantastical things whenever he sits by himself at the church. You see, as we were on our way home he told me that he was hoping for all the people to see him in the church because he was a cripple, and that it would help them remind themselves that on Christmas day, Primus himself made the lame walk, the deaf to hear, the blind would see, and that the dead would live again." Optimus's voice was shaking as he said this, and added that their littlest child was growing much stronger in terms of his spark and life force. It really did him proud to see his youngest son be so optimistic about life itself. True, he was proud of all of his offspring, but Tiny Bee seemed to speak much more wisdom than either he or his family have ever heard. Even Achilles often times marveled about his younger brother's goodness and innocence.

As the discussion came to a close, the wife went to the stove and saw that the dinner was ready, and as she lifted the pot to the table Optimus called to his children to arrive at the table. Achilles was the first to enter, while Sapphire aided her little brother to the table. As she brought him to his seat, Achilles pulled out a chair and helped his crippled brother to his seat and went back to his own as Sapphire went to place the crutch by a stool next to the empty fireplace.

Optimus Cratchit took his seat and he and the younglings watched as Elita 1 brought over the stove over to the table and placed at the middle of the table, using a ladle to scoop up steamy, hot liquid mixed with bits of condensed mineral substances that would give flavor to the meal. The meal, however, did not appear to be the type of meal that Achilles and Sapphire were looking forward too. "Mother, why must we continue to have soup? Surely there must be something else worth having for Christmas Dinner." Achilles tried to sound polite, but his hunger and disappointment was making difficult to find the right words without hurting his mother's feelings.

Elita 1 sadly shook her head. "It's all we can afford, my children. If we could have raised more income, we could have had a more appropriate feast, and I could have gotten you all of the gifts you have wished for so long." she emphasized. Elita 1 Cratchit never believed in spoiling her children, and saw that in order of them to get what they wanted they would have to earn that privilege. Yet, due to her husbands insufficient payment, she found herself wanting to spare her children the pain of not receiving their well-deserved reward for the holidays.

Optimus then held his wife's hand in comfort as he spoke to them all. "I do understand how we all want a perfect Christmas; everyone does. Yet, even though we are in poverty, we still have the gifts that we treasure everyday, and for the many days to come. We still have this house to live, we still have two bedrooms upstairs, we still have a table to eat our meals, and most importantly we still have each other. Family is a far greater gift than any gift in the galaxy."

Achilles and Sapphire were awed by their father's wise words and reconsidered their meal. Even thought they still longed for a delicious tin-foiled turkey to grace their glosses they still loved their family and would appreciate what their mother had to offer.

"Forgive me, Mother, if I had offended you." Achilles apologized, and Elita 1 lovingly smiled and kissed him in understanding and affection.

"Now then, let us say our grace to Primus, and give our thanks to our Christmas Dinner." Optimus Cratchit announced and all of his family sat down and lowered their heads and joined hands, saying ancient prayers of thanks to the immortal creator. After the final word of the chant, Optimus rose his head and held up his cup and proposed a toast to the founder of the feast; Megatron Scrooge. The red and blue mech saw a look of disagreement. "Elita 1, what is it?"

"What is it? It's Megatron Scrooge. how could you think of making a toast to that miserable miser after what he does to you?" The pink and rose colored femme then sighed before she continued. "No one knows more about that stingy, odious codgers cold intentions then you do, Optimus. He hardly gives you a shilling after all those long hours of work. He does not care for you, only himself. Founder of the feast indeed. If that cruel mech were here at this moment I would give him a piece of my mind." Megatron Scrooge huffed at the femme and scowled.

"But, Darling. He alone has given you enough income to pay for the soup we are eating. Even if his payments are low, we still make the best out of it. I know there area those who doubt that he is incapable of showing any kindness, except for me. I know there is some goodness somewhere in his spark, and I am sure that time will help change." Optimus Cratchit spoke in defense. Elita 1, however, was still not convinced. But, Optimus held her hand once more in a firm, yet gentle hold and their optics met. In the optics of her husband, Elita 1 saw that he was being true to his word and only asked for her to spare his master. "Please, my love. It is Christmas. We should show our gratitude to Megatron Scrooge."

Elita saw no hope in continuing her denial and surrendered. Even though she did detest Megatron Scrooge, she was not cold hearted as she thought he was. "Oh, for your sake and the children's sake, I will drink to him. A Merry Christmas to Megatron Scrooge." she announced, rather reluctantly at the mention of the miser's name, but she was soon followed by the rest of the family.

"Primus Bless us, Everyone!" Tiny Bee cheered and raised his cup, and all of the family smiled and chuckled. This child may not have encountered Megatron Scrooge, but he had raised his glass in honor of the miser as if he were a long lost friend. That acceptance from Tiny Bee made Megatron Scrooge lift his brow in a mixture of puzzlement and honor. This little yellow mech was truly something else; something much more precious than gold.

"Spirit, tell me about that little youngling. Despite his undeniable optimism, do you believe that this child will live long in these conditions?" Megatron asked. The Ghost of Christmas Present sadly shook his head and looked upon Tiny Bee as the child and his family began to eat the soup.

"I see a vacant seat at the corner of the fireplace and a crutch without an owner, Scrooge." he replied

"What do you mean?"

"If these shadows remain unchanged in the future, the child will die."

Megatron Scrooge gasped in shock. "What? Oh no! Spirit, please say that is not so! That youngling doesn't deserve to go offline." The spirit then looked back at the white mech with a serious glare as he interrupted.

"He and his family are poor. And, was it you that once said that if the poor were to go offline they had better do it and decrease the surplus population?" Megatron Scrooge hung his head in regret over his words that quoted by the specter, ad was overcome with penitence and grief. He then saw the room, the Cratchit's, and the warmth of the family's love disappear, and found that he and the ghost were in a vaguely foggy atmosphere. No light shown about them, save for the torch the Ghost of Christmas Present held in his palm. "Keep your wicked judgment on the surplus population to yourself, Scrooge, before you know what and where the surplus population is. No Cybertronian has the right to decide who remains online and who should go offline."

Scrooge trembled and knelt before the giant's rebut, feeling a great weight upon himself; a weight much more greater than guilt itself. It was at that moment when Megatron Scrooge spied something emerge from the bottom of the ghosts robe. "Spirit, forgive if I am not justified in what I ask of you, but is that a foot or a claw?" The gold, grey ghost looked down and said that it might be a claw of something that was not apart of him, and as Scrooge watched, the ghost parted his robe and revealed a ghastly sight. Two, grungy, ragged younglings crouched by the feet of the spirit, clutching at his legs and staring at the miser in fear. "Are they yours?" Megatron Scrooge asked, appalled by the sight.

"They belong to Cybertronains." the Ghost of Christmas Present answered, looking down upon the children; a mech and femme. "This mech is Ignorance, and this femme is Want. You must beware of them and their degree, Scrooge. However, Ignorance is the only one to watch out for, because his brow symbolizes doom. They are all over this planet of yours, be them rich or poor."

"Don't they have any refuge they can go to? Do they not have any resource to satisfy themselves?" Megatron Scrooge asked.

"Are there no Prisons? Are there no Workhouses?" the Ghost of Christmas Present retorted once last time, using the words of the white mech against him.

As the words were spoken, the sound of the bells low, dull ringing began to echo through the fog, and Megatron Scrooge watched as the children fade away, as did the ghost. "Spirit, please do not leave! I have learned much from you. Please."

"My time has come Scrooge. I must leave you now, and may you remember all that I and the first specter have brought before you. The final spirit shall be the one who will decide what is to become of you. Farewell, Scrooge." cooed the spirit, and the green robe, crystalized wreath, and body faded into the fog, leaving the lonely, frightened Megatron Scrooge to face the final spirit.

* * *

***Authors Note***

**(Oh boy...I hope you are planning to keep the lights on in the next chapter, because I can promise you that the next chapter is definitely not something to read while in the dark. Sparkling Lover out.)**


	5. Chapter 5

**(Here we are. The final spirit is upon us, and we must follow along with Megatron Scrooge and see what the ghost has to show. But, something tells me that it is not going to be as positive as the two previous ghosts. This is it for Megatron Scrooge. Will here forever be the stingy, cruel and greedy mech he was?)**

* * *

The mist was growing thicker and thicker by the minute as Megatron Scrooge stood. He never felt so frightened in all of his life; he heard no voice, no clatter of chains, nothing. It was as silent as death. It had been a minute after he had witnessed the Ghost of Christmas Present vanish as the bells began to ring their dull, monotonous tone and so far he had not seen any sign of the final spirit. All that he could see was the thick fog.

He soon felt a great feeling of fear course through him; he had a sudden feeling that he was not the only soul that was around. His feeling was soon proven correct as soon as he turned around, slow and steady. His optics soon beheld a black form hidden in the fog; a great, large, menacing figure with two long horns upon its head, long wing-like appendages on its back, and glaring green optics. Its very appearance alone was much more horrifying than Stascream Marley's spirit, but Megatron Scrooge knew that this spirit was here to lead him and was to be the one who would decide his fate.

He swallowed and spoke to the phantom, his voice terror-stricken and low. "Are...Are you the Ghost of Christmas Future?" The phantom was silent. It spoke not a word, and as the miser watched it pointed an outstretched hand to miser. "You are to show me the things that will not happen, but _will_ happen?" Megatron Scrooge asked once again, and the spirit did not answer, but Megatron Scrooge saw the spirit slowly nod its head once, its green optics turning off for a moment before they returned to their sinister glow.

Megatron Scrooge had now become accustomed to the supernatural at the moment, but he found himself fearing this phantom much more than the others, and felt his own knees buckling and shaking underneath him and he almost fell upon them. "Conduct me, Spirit. I fear you more than any of the specters I have encountered, but I now that you are here to do me good. I am willing to follow you to wherever you lead me, and I shall do so in a thankful spark."

The hand of the spirit then changed its position, pointing to the east and Megatron Scrooge nodded. "Lead on, Spirit. I will go with you." The white mech made his way with the phantom to the direction the hand pointed to, and as they made their way through the fog Megatron Scrooge noticed that the fog was starting to clear up, and he could see the area they were entering. They had appeared at the very center of the city, the atmosphere dank and wet for it was raining heavily and thunder was heard all over the town. It was Christmas morning, but a very dismal one. There were no other citizens out in the streets, no lights were on in any of the shops or taverns, and all that was heard was the harsh patter of the rain drops upon the ground and the loud booming roars of the thunder above the sky.

The sounds of a door opening and shutting made Megatron Scrooge turn around and saw four mechs exit from a Bank, all of the taking out their umbrellas and opening them up to shield them from the weather. The miser could see that two of them were very familiar and saw that they were the same gentle bots from the Cybertronian Institute of Welfare and Goodwill, and he could also see that they were speaking with two other mechs. The first of them was of a green, black, and gold armor and wore the same suits the twin brothers wore, indicating that he was also a member. The second mech was also a member, but had yellow and white armor.

Megatron Scrooge turned to the Spirit and saw that it was pointing to the group. Megatron Scrooge saw what the spirit meant and he went on over to listen to the conversation. He listened as the red twin spoke up. "As far as I have found out, he is dead. He has died this very morning."

"Is that so, Sideswipe? I hadn't the faintest idea that he would perish." answered the white and yellow mech.

"Well, considering his age, Grapple, I would have found it unlikely for him to continue functioning. He was bound to go offline sooner or later." answered the green mech, who was called by the name of Hoist.

"Well, I for one wish to know what he has done with most of his fortune? All of that gold of his cannot go with him to the grave, you know?" spoke Sideswipe, and his brother answered him.

"He certainly hasn't given any notice to us of donating half of his income. And as I have heard, he hash;t even given it to any of his relatives, if he were to have any. I believe one of them had moved away some time over a week ago with his wife."

"You speak the truth, Sunstreaker. I believe he has left most of it to his company; the Counting House I believe. I wouldn't even call it a house anymore. It perished under the weather, and there is nothing left but scraps of paper and specks of coal." said Grapple.

The sudden chuckle of Hoist got all of the mechs, including Megatron Scrooge's attention and they looked at him. "I think it's going to be a very cheap funeral. In fact, I don't think that anyone would even think about attending the funeral."

"I think I will attend..." Sideswipe was quiet for one moment before a smile came to his face plate as he laughed. "...if Lunch is provided!"

All the four mechs laughed in a great uproar and proceeded to leave the Bank and walked away. Megatron Scrooge looked over to the phantom and wanted an explanation. He came down the steps and appeared before his guide. Just as he was mere inches from the specter, the phantom lifted its hand and pointed down an alley where a small figure was scurrying down the path, carrying a large bag. Megatron Scrooge instantly recognized the figure as his cleaning mech; Scourge. This mech was hired by the miser to keep his home in order and cleaned every inch of it. Now,Scourge was often belittled by Megatron Scrooge, and this had drive Scourge to develop a secret hatred inside of him.

"Scourge? Why is he here?" he asked the phantom, but the figure was silent. Megatron Scrooge soon figured that the spirit wanted him to follow the servant and he did, walking fast as he walked past scrapped metal, broken glass, and other types of garbage that was tossed out from the windows of the buildings that settled on each side. Megaron Scrooge soon came upon a small tent that was supported by pipes and cloth, and from a light inside he could see Scourge sitting himself down and could hear him speaking to another mech.

"So, what do you have for me?" said a raspy voice.

"Soundwave, I have gotten items for you that I can assure you are worth more than my own armor." answered the servant and he brought out his bag and opened it. The second figure from the shadow of the light in the tent, looked into the bag and pulled out a long sheet of fabric. "I had never liked that old coot the moment he sacked me with his cane. It's a blessing that he is gone now." Scourge spoke as he then pulled out another object form in the bag.

"The fabric is still warm. Scourge, have you taken this from him while this was draped over him?" asked Soundwave as he felt a slight warmth from the sheet.

"Aye, I did. Took it off while he was motionless. I took it off the moment his optics were wide in the midst of death, the moment when he was gasping his last breath. He will not be needing it anymore. He will have all the warmth once he is put away in a coffin and buried under the planets surface for all I know. Here.." his hand held out a collection of rings and bells. "...all of them made of pure gold."

"Ahh, these will do nicely, as well as the sheets. I don't see why I should not repay you for such presents on this holiday." chuckled Soundwave as he tossed the rings and bells into the air, making jingling noises as they were tossed into the air.

"You should; all of what I got is worth more to him than anything else. In fact, they meant much more to him than his own life." Scourge answered and the two broke into hearty laughter as Soundwave payed the servant with pieces of silver for the entire bag. Megatron Scrooge looked at the tent with dread and disgust. He could hardly believe that these two mechs were making a profit out of the corpses property.

"Spirit, I see. I see that this deceased one they speak of, this poor and belittled mech might be of my own." Megatron Scrooge spoke, but then suddenly gasped when the scene had drastically changed into a dark room, where a bed stood in the middle, a body laid over it and covered in a white sheet. "What is this?" The Spirit was in the shadows, its form unseen except for its glowing optics.

Megatron Scrooge observed as the hand of the phantom appeared over the head over the body, meaning to lift the sheet but it remained above the head as if it awaited for the misers response. Megatron Scrooge was quiet for one moment, looking at the form and wondering who its identity was, but then looked up at the green optics and managed to say in a fearful voice. "Spirit, this is a frightful place, but when I do leave it I shall not forget the lesson this place might offer me. " The phantom still kept its outstretched hand over the head and Scrooge watched as the fingers grasped at the cloth, the hand covered in a black smoke. "Please, I do understand what you are telling me, Spirit. But I cannot bear to remove the sheet, for I have no power to do so due to my terror. If there is anyone in the town who feels an emotional feeling to this mechs death, please allow me to see that person."

The phantoms hand ceased to clutch the cloth and it returned to the shadows, the green optics fading away as the dark room and body faded with the spirit, and Megatron Scrooge found himself back on the lonely, empty street on which the Cratchit home stood. Megatron Scrooge felt relieved that he had returned to this place of virtue and love, yet his relief turned into concern as he saw that there was no light from inside the house. _Why is the home so quiet and dark?_, Megatron Scrooge thought to himself as he then came to the window and peered in.

In the living room, seated close together were Elita 1 Cratchit, and her two children; Achilles and Sapphire. They were crying softly, and tears were streaming down their cheek plates. Despite being outside, Megatron Scrooge could practically hear the soft voices.

"He..He wouldn't...wake up. I went to his bed to wake him..but he felt cold.." Sapphire whimpered, her head burrowing itself into Elita 1's neck as she hugged her tightly. "I saw his face plate, Mother. It was pale...the optics were dark...Oh.."

"Hush, my child. Hush." Elita 1 cooed as she looked up at the window, expecting for someone to enter. She then returned her gaze to her younglings, and rubbed their backs soothingly as they huddled closer to her.

"I don't want him to go, Mother. I love him. He can't go." Achilles spoke defiantly, but his voice was choked with his own tears. Elita 1 placed a hand behind her sons head and pulled him to her lips as she kissed his forehead.

Just then, Megatron Scrooge saw a sad figure walking to the house, walking very slowly as if he was in pain. It was Optimus Cratchit, and Megatron Scrooge could see that his shoulder was vacant; no Tiny Bee. The mech opened the door and went inside, and Megatron Scrooge followed suit, now feeling apprehensive about what was happening before him. He had a dreaded feeling about why the family was so sad.

The femme and the children had heard him enter and they went over to him, the children hugging his stabilizing servos, while the wife took hold of his hands. Megatron Scrooge could see that his employee was in a very depressed state, and his face plate was sullen and the lips were quivering. Optimus Cratchit then sat himself by the table, taking his coat off and handing it to Achilles, and the child went to the closet to hang it up and returned to the kitchen.

"They have allowed me to pick the spot where they are to burry him, Elita 1. Oh, if only you would have been there you could have seen the spot I have chosen for him. It was the little hill that...that looked upon the the pond...Tiny Bee always loved that pond..." He had broken into silence while he spoke, trying his hardest to contain his tears, but they manage to penetrate his optic lids and they steadily streamed down.

"He loved the pond because it was where he and you would watch the ducks and geese in the spring and summer, Father." Sapphire finished for Optimus, and he nodded his head and caressed her head.

Optimus Cratchit then saw Achilles mutter to himself, wishing that Primus had not taken away his little brother. "Achilles, it isn't our job to decide how long ing bee was to live."

"I know, Father. But, I do not want Tiny Bee to leave us. I loved him."

"We all did, Achilles." cooed Elita 1.

Optimus then took Achilles and sat him upon his lap, wiping away the childs tears and he purred. "Achilles, we never wanted Tiny Bee to go. We all wanted him to live, but we alone could not keep his spark beating of long. Primus made his decision and decided that Tiny Bee had suffered his lameness long enough. But, Tiny Bee is not truly gone."

"How?" the children asked.

"Tiny Bee was surrounded by love from all of us, and that made him a strong Cybertronian. Even when he passed on, our love for him will forever keep him alive in spirit. He will still be around, as long as we remember the good times we have shared with him. All of the memories will be cherished with us for as long as we live, and we will thank Tiny Bee for all of the joy, love, and hope that he has given to us. Do that, my son, daughter, and I can promise you that he will always be with you."

"We will, Father." the two answered as they hugged him and he hugged them in return. He then let them go and looked up at his wife. "I have also made a promise to our departed son. Not only shall I remember him, but I shall go every Sunday to visit his grave and sit alongside it, like we always did before all of this."

"A noble promise, my love." Elita 1 smiled as she wiped her tears away, but then she saw her husband rise up from his chair, telling her that he needed a moment, and left the three.

Megatron Scrooge followed Optimus Cratchit up the stairs, already sensing that even though his employee had spoken great compassion and love for his son, Optimus still felt a great deal of pain inside of him.

He then saw the red and blue mech open the door to the children's bedroom and followed him inside, and the miser, who had never felt any remorse in his whole life, gasped in shock. There...lying on one of the beds...draped underneath a thin sheet...was Tiny Bee. "Oh, what have I done?" Megatron Scrooge said in forlorn as he watched Optimus Cratchit kneel before the corpse of the child that had shown Megatron Scrooge the great consequence of his selfish actions. His own ignorance had taken away this young bot's spark and the happiness of the Cratchit family, all drowned away by the remorse and sorrow of losing a precious family member. "Oh, Optimus, if only you could hear me then I would beg you your forgiveness. I never meant to harm your son." he wept when he saw Optimus Cratchit take the body in his arms and held it to him as he began to sob.

Megatron Scrooge tried to reach out to the sadden mech and stroke his back, but as his hand reached out the the room and Optimus Cratchit faded away, and Megatron Scrooge felt a strong, cold wind blow at him. He yelled in surprise and covered his face with an arm to keep the wind away from his face plate, and after the wind died down Megatron Scrooge saw that he was now in a one of the most dismal, deserted, and foreboding places he had gazed upon. A churchyard.

The fog from which he had encountered the Ghost of Christmas Future had once more returned and it enveloped all of the ground beneath Megatron Scrooge's feet, and thunder once more sounded its loud bellows in the sky. All the tips of the headstones could be seen as the fog overrun the rest of their form. As Megatron Scrooge wandered about the graveyard in search of his guide, he found the phantom standing close to one head stone that stood in a barren part of the graveyard; no other headstones were close the figures outline was starting to become clearer each time the miser made a step forward.

As Megatron Scrooge was merely a few steps away from the spirit, the phantom pinter its outstretched hand to the headstone, rather sharply and quick. The miser saw this as a demand form the ghost and walked cautiously to the headstone and was about to read the incantations when he paused and looked up at the spirit, his scarlet optics meeting the glowing green orbs. "Before I read from this headstone, Spirit, answer my last question." he asksed the ghost, and the ghosts hand rose up and pointed once more to the headstone. "Please, tell me that all of these visions the things that will be? Or are they visions of things that may be?"

The hand once again pointed harshly to the headstone, but Megatron Scrooge persisted his request. "All of Cybertronian kind and their courses will foreshadow many ends, but if by perseverance their courses can be altered and the ends will change. Am I to be given the chance to change the course of my path?"

The phantom made one final point to the headstone by which it stood, and Megatron Scrooge was silent and he looked upon the headstone. The red, scarlet optics grew wide with terror, his mouth gaped in horror, and his body was flushed with an cold, icy blast as he read to whom the neglected grave belonged to.

**MEGATRON SCROOGE**

"No! No, this can't be! I was the body in the bed from that dark room you have taken me too? I am to die?" he cried as he backed away in mortal fear, falling down onto his back and he scrambled away, but as he did he felt the ground beneath him shake and cave in. He suddenly then looked down to see the fog and the ground being sucked down into an abyss; a large gaping hole that lead thousands of feet below, revealing a red and black center below, and a coffin with its lid open. "No! Spirit, hear me! I am not the mech I once was! I will never be the mech I once was! Please, let me have another chance!" he pleaded, but he screamed as the remaining ground he sat upon tumbled and he nearly fell into the red and black pit had he not manage to grab onto a ledge and held on tight, looking below and watching as red hot iron chains sprouted from the coffin below.

Megatron Scrooge shrieked in pain as the cuffs snapped onto his wrists, his ankles, his abdominal region, and his neck. The excruciating heat was almost searing into his own armor, but Scrooge defiantly held on and begged the spirit to help. What happened was something that would forever haunt the misers conciseness. The black smoke that had blanketed the body of the spirit lifted away, and when lightning flashed from above and the thunder sounded, the spirits entire form was revealed; a great hulking behemoth, with orange, grey armor, claws, and a mouth open wide to display a set of long canines.

The miser screamed in fear of the identity of the phantom, but his fear did not weaken his hands grasp of the edge and he continued to plead. "Spirit, please assure me that I can mend my ways! I swear to my own spark that I shall honor Christmas forever. Not just this one Christmas but all of the Chritsmas's I had longed ignored. I will live in the past, the present and the future! All the spirits shall flourish within me, and I shall remember all of their teachings! I will change! I'll change!"

One hard, tight pull from the chains was all it took to tear Megatron Scrooge away form the ledge, and the mech wailed and screamed as he was pulled down...down...down...down into the pit below.

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***Authors Note***  
**(Holy Guacamole! This has got tot be one of the most frightening and terrifying chapters I have ever done; well it did scare me as I typed it and I'm certain that it might have gotten you feeling the heebie jeebies. Well, now it is time for me to work on the last chapter, and because it is the holidays I will have it up on Christmas day. Sorry if I am to leave you in suspense. Sparkling Lover out.)**


	6. Chapter 6

**(Happy Holidays, everyone! I thank you all for waiting, and to finally seal the deal I have the final chapter up and ready! I can promise you that you will enjoy this final chapter.)**

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Megatron Scrooge struggled about as he was trapped in his own bedsheets, kicking and punching to find a way out. "Let me out! Spirit! Let me out! Let me..." He then emerged from his bedsheets and was startled and awe struck to find that he was not encased in the coffin he had seen from his encounter with the final ghost. He was back in his own room; his bed, covers, chair, portrait all in place, and the room was filled with a warm morning glow.

At first Megatron Scrooge could hardly tell if he was still in the midst of a dream or not, but after looking all around his room and seeing that everything was still there, including him, he started to smile and snicker. That snicker turned to a chuckle, and the chuckle turned into a hearty laugh as Megatron Scrooge leapt to his feet and skipped and twirled all around. He had no idea why, but he felt light as a feather plate and as merry as a school boy. "Oh, I can't believe it! Oh, I'm still alive! Oh, its morning but I have forgotten the date! All of this is happening so quickly, I must know what today is!" Megatron Scrooge scrambled to the window and slung it open.

The street blew was blanketed ion a light sheet of fresh snow, and the sun was glistening high above in the parting clouds. Megatron Scrooge was lost in the rays of the shining sun, that he nearly lost sight of a youngling mech walking in the sidewalk and pulling his sleigh close beside him. "I say, you boy!"

"What?"

"What is today?" Megatron Scrooge called out to the orange, grey youngling, but the child thought that he was daft and the child asked him what it was Megatron Scrooge had questioned. "What is the date today, my boy?"

"Christmas day, sir." the child answered.

"Christmas day?" he whispered to himself and laughed joyously. "Oh! Oh, it's Christmas day! The spirits have done it all in one night! Oh, what am I saying? Of course they can do it in one night!" He suddenly remembered about his employee and had finally figured out what he was going to spend the rest of this festive, peaceful, and joyous holiday. But, he needed the boy down below to help him in one part of his plan. "I say, you remember the poultry house? Do you recollect seeing the prize tin foiled turkey they've got still? Not the teeny tiny prize, the **BIG** one." He stretched his arms out to exaggerate what he meant.

"The one that is as big as me? Yes, it's still there; hanging by the window." the youngling asked.

"Oh, what a smart little fellow he is." Megatron Scrooge whispered to himself and shouted out back to the youngling. "Yes, that one. I need you to go there and buy it for me."

"I haven't enough money, sir. I can't go."

"Oh, but I will pay you." He then went back inside and appeared back to the window and tossed down a bundle filled with silver coins. "Use these to buy the bird, and I promise you that you will be rewarded with a much bigger bundle than that when you return."

Megatron Scrooge watched as the boy took one look at him, smiled, and was off like a bullet down the street that would take him to the poultry house. Megatron Scrooge lag hued again as he went back into the room. He had never laughed so much in his lifetime, but he was becoming quite accustomed to it. Just as he went to the dresser to get himself ready for the day, he paused and looked at the portrait of Starscream Marley and kneeled down before it. "Oh, Starscream. You shall be very proud to know that I shall intend to keep Christmas and all of its precious meanings to my spark. I will treasure it forever and ever. Never again will that former miser of myself return." he said in a thankful voice as he then went back to the dresser and had himself dressed in his finest suit, toped with his most expensive hat, and held his own cane by his side.

Then with a high jump and click of his heels, Megatron Scrooge opened the door and ran down the stairs and opened the door to the outside world. The warm, fresh air was sucked through his olfactory sensors as he took a deep, hearty breath and exhaled with a massive grin on his face plate. He had never felt so happy and cheerful, that it was almost foreign to those who might have seen him grinning and laughing like a mad mech. One of those was none other than Scrooge's servant; Scrourge.

"Scourge! A Merry Christmas to you!" Megatron Scrooge called out to him and ran over, taking the bewildered and startled mech in his arms as he spun about while he embraced him.

"Unhand me! Let me go! Help! He's gone mad!" Scourge managed to free himself form his insane masters grip and suddenly ran off, screaming at the top of his oxygen tanks as he shouted that Megatron Scrooge had gone mad. Sadly enough, no one took his words as being truthful and passé shim off as an early drunk. Megatron Scrooge was hardly fazed by his servants sudden departure, but then called him a charming fellow.

"Sir! Here's the turkey! Ooh, it's so heavy!" the youngling from before called from up the street, pulling on his sled quick hard. Megatron Scrooge guffawed in great humor, for he saw that the boy had placed the tin foiled turkey on his sled and was now carrying it to him, but Megatron Scrooge was very grateful and happy that the boy was going through so much.

"Oh, my child! You have lived by your word. Oh, goodness. You can't carry this all the way to Optimus Cratchit's house, you must have a cab."

Just as he said that, a cab had arrived at the corner of the street and Scrooge waved at it to stop and had the driver help him and the boy lift the bird inside. The cab driver was rewarded by the happy white mech and was given the directions to the home the bird was to be delivered, and as the driver went to the drivers seat Megatron Scrooge kept his part of the bargain and rewarded the youngling mech with a large bundle of gold coins. Megatron Scrooge wished the driver and the boy a Merry Christmas, and watched as the the horse drove the cab away down the street and into town. Town? Megatron Scrooge suddenly remembered his plan and was soon on his way to the center of the city, laughing and cheering with joy as he went.

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Megatron Scrooge had never felt so alive; all of the persons he passed by was wished a Merry Christmas by him, a warm handshake to some, and a tip of his hat to some of the femmes as well. All who were greeted were either in great confusion or in gratitude, but Megatron Scrooge had neither the care of all the world. He was in such great spirits and had planed to keep it that way, but then knew that he had to keep himself composed so as to be not taken a lunatic by some.

That's when he saw the two mechs from the Cybertronian Institute of Welfare and Goodwill and he halted them, and he did see a look of disgust in one of them, and he knew that they had every right to be after what he had done to them the night before. "Please, I know you two may think ill of me, but I wish to apologize for my actions."

"Hmm, and why should we believe your words?" asked Sideswipe as he and his brother looked at each other, seeing hat they were finding it hard to believe this beast as the called him.

"Because I have changed last night. I take back every curse I have laid upon the surplus population, and to show that I am true my words, I would like to put down my own donation to your establishment, so that you may buy all of the poor the necessities they so desperately need this time of year." Megatron Scrooge spoke with such earnest, such truthfulness, and honor that the two brothers were almost moved by it.

"Oh, very well. What shall we put you down for?" Sunstreaker asked, but then saw that Megatron Scrooge wanted to whisper it to them so he and his brother turned their heads and listened. Their optics doubled in size, and their mouths dropped. "Wha...Scrooge...You mean it?"

"Yes, and not a penny more. I shall have the amount delivered to your establishment by tonight. I must be off to buy some gifts for a family in need. A Merry Christmas, my fine gentlebots!" Megatron Scrooge waved as he went on his way to the various shops, leaving the brothers wondering if what he had said was true. Their suspicions were confined that very night, when 100 gold sovereigns were delivered to them.

Megatron Scrooge had wasted no time in passion through each of the stores that were still open to the public and bought all of the necessities he needed to give in secret to the Cratchit's. He made the first stop at **Hounds Garments and**** Gowns **and purchased 10 pairs of suits and pants for Optimus, 17 pairs of dresses and 8 pairs of shoes for Elita 1, and 15 pairs of suits and dresses for the children. He then made the next stop to **Mirages Diamonds and Jewelry** and purchased 20 accessories for Elita 1, and 10 watches for Optimus. He then payed a visit to **Jazzs Toyshop** and purchased a rocking horse, 5 dolls, 7 figurines, and 3 teddy's for the children. And finally, he made a stop to the Hospital and had paid for a operation for Tiny Bee to be done in the Spring. As much as Megatron Scrooge wanted to deliver all of the gifts and certificate of the operation to the Cratchit's, he saw that he was running late for another event that was occurring; his nephew's party. So, he had requested that all of the owners of the shops to deliver the gifts to the home in honor of him, but had told them that they were to keep his identity as a secret.  


The owners have agreed and were given a payment as a reward and were soon off to deliver the gifts to the unsuspecting family. Megatron Scrooge was soon off as well, and much to his nephew's surprise to see the mech who had called Christmas a 'Humbug', he was pleased to see that his uncle apologized and was wishing to mend his ways with him. Hot Rod had welcomed in Megatron Scrooge with a forgiving spark and he and Megatron Scrooge had spent the rest of the night celebrating the holiday with all of Hot Rod s friend, and there would soon be a toast to Megatron Scrooge, a toast that saluted his change. Megatron Scrooge raised his glass as well, stating that he would keep his promise of keeping Christmas in his spark, and would always come to any gathering his only nephew would host, which made Hot Rod smile lovingly.

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The day after was calm and quiet; all of the citizens were very slow this morning after all of the energy they had spent for all of the festivities from yesterday, all except for one. Optimus Cratchit was running through the streets faster than he ever ran in his life, he had to get to the Counting house as soon as he could. He had promised his master that he would arrive early, but after all of the merry things that had occurred on Christmas day he had over slept and was now running late.

Megatron Scrooge did have a feeling that Optimus would show up late, but he had no plans in punishing his employee. In fact, he was planning quite the opposite, and at the moment he saw the mech running to the establishment form a window, Megatron Scrooge had to keep himself from chuckling and smiling. He managed and his face returned to a scowl, but it would not remain that way for long. The moment the door opened and when Optimus rushed in, Megatron Scrooge called to the employee, who was gasping for air.

"Optimus."

"Oh, Megatron Scrooge! I am very sorry if I am late, but I promise it won't..."

"Come inside my office and sit down, now." Megatron Scrooge ordered and the red and blue mech, who was one of the many suits Scrooge had bought for him, and sat down. "Have I not given you word that you are to arrive at an early time on this day?"

"Yes, sir. Please, try to understand that I was making merry yesterday. So much had happened, that I could hardly remember my promise. I swear I will try to make it up." Optimus pleaded, but the white mech with scarlet optics did not pay any head to his words.

"Optimus Cratchit, this tardiness shall not go unpunished. I have set certain rules and I expect them to be followed, no other excuse." Megatron Scrooge then walked over to the quivering mech and glared down at him. "You have given me no other alternative, and therefore I am about...to raise your salary."

Silence fell upon the office, and Optimus Cratchit was lost for words. Did his master actually say those very words? Had he gone mad or did Megatron Scrooge gone mad? The whiter mechs serious expression was suddenly shifted to a bright, happy expression as he suddenly laughed hard and cheerfully as he then took Optimus's hand and stood him up. "A Merry Christmas, Optimus."

"Sir? are you alright? Maybe I should send for a doctor?"

"Oh, no. Don't think that I have lost all of my senses, my dear mech. I am just so happy. Haha! I have never been more happier than I have ever lived." Megatron Scrooge chuckled and then held his employee's hand much tighter, but not so as to harm him but to rather show how serious his words were. "I am giving you a raise, Optimus. And, as of today and all the rest of my years, I will swear upon my grave that I will do everything I can to help you and your struggling family."

"My family? How did you..." Optimus questioned but was interrupted when Megatron Scrooge fetched through his desk and pulled out a bundle of coins and handed it to him.

"All of those questions will be answered right after you go and fetch some coal for the fire. It is so cold in here, one might turn into a icicle in here. You go do that, and I shall be waiting with some Christmas punch that I have just prepared." Megatron Scrooge answered as he led Optimus Cratchit put the door and patted his shoulder with tenderness. Before Optimus could turn around to his master, the door had instantly closed behind him and from inside laughter could be heard as well as singing.

Optimus was still unsure about his masters state of mind, but then it hit him. If Megatron Scrooge had not mentioned his family, he would not have given him that raise. True he never said anything about his family to his master, but he then remembered that prayer he had made on that Christmas Eve night. Could Megatron Scrooge been the anonymous mech who had brought all of the gifts, the large tin foiled turkey, and the certificate of operation for Tiny Bee? He was insure, but he had a strong feeling that Megatron Scrooge had indeed changed. And the change was a life saver, for both Optimus Cratchit and his family and for Megatron Scrooge.

* * *

And Megatron was true to his word. He was good and kinder mech and master than he ever was, even better. He had kept Christmas alive and true to his spark, and he had brought great joy and happiness to all he knew. And to Tiny Bee...who was healed of his lameness, Megatron Scrooge had became a second father. Megatron Scrooge knew how to keep Christmas alive as much as any living being in all the galaxy could. May that be said to all of us, be it Cybertronain or human. Christmas shall always be alive in our hearts, as long as we remember that it is the time when all are given a second chance to change, an no other change was greater than that of Megatron Scrooge. Primus bless us, Everyone.

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***Authors Note***  
**(Ta Da! The End! I do hope that you have all enjoyed my version of A Christmas Carol, and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I would personally like to thank newbienovelistRD, GoldGuardian2418, and EmeraldMoonGem for aiding me in writing this holiday tale. A Merry Christmas to all, and a very Happy New Year.)**


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